Restraint apparatus



Y! United States atent [72] inventor RaymondJ.Settin1i Woodland Hills,Calif. [21] Appl. No. 740,970 [22) Filed June 28, 1968 [45] PatentedDec. 29,1970 [73] Assignee American Safety Equipment Corporation NewYork, N.Y.

a corporation of New York [54] RESTRAINT APPARATUS 6 Claims, 15 DrawingFigs.

[52] US. Cl 242/ 107.4, 280/150; 297/388 [51] Int. Cl 86511 75/48;B60r2l/10; A62b35/02 [50] Field ofSearch ..280/l50SB; 242/107, 107SB,107.3, 107.4, 107.6; 297/388 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS3,174,704 3/1965 Replogle 242/ 107.4 3,362,748 1/1968 Carter 280/1503,363,712 1/1968 Fontaine 180/82 Primary E.taminer--Banjamin HershAssistant ExaminerLeslie J. Paperner Atr0rneyMiketta, Glenny, Poms andSmith ABSTRACT: A vehicle occupant restraint apparatus including ashoulder strap having a connector on the free end thereof adapted to beengaged with a floor-mounted connector so as to be positioned diagonallyacross the upper torso of an occupant, and being secured within a springbiased retraction device supported by an outer wall of the vehicle and astowing clip also supported on the vehicle outer wall so that theshoulder strap may be stowed in an out-of-the-way position when not inuse. There is also disclosed a spring biased retraction device in whicha strap is wound around a reel and is put in position for use byprotraction of the strap to the desired length and then allowing slightrewind or retraction of the strap whereupon the reel will be lockedagainst further protraction or retraction.

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IN vE/vToe RESTRAINT APPARATUS Restraint apparatus in which one of theflexible restrainin members, belts or straps is normally springbiasedfor retraction within a housing are well knownin the prior art. in suchdevices, there is generally provided aspri'ng biased reel within ahousing around which a strap or beltfhaving a latching or connectormember on the freeend thereof is wound. When not is use. the strap isbiased to automatically retract within the housing so as to be in anout-of-the-way position. In this manner, one portion'of the beltwhichrestrains the occupant in a seat is normally retracted so as not tointerfere with the ingress and egress of an occupant into a vehicle andmore par.- ticularly intothe vehicle seat. Moreovenflsuchdevice rendersone portion of the seat belt easily locatable by the occupant forconvenient attachment to a cooperating connector or buckle, on another,floor-mounted seat belt orstrap portion, or secured directly to ananchor on thevehicle floor.

Recently, a retractor device has been devised in-whichsub sequent to theengagement of the two-strapportions-through the latching members,further'protractionof the seat belt member which is retractable isprevented. While such devices v of an inertia type have been known inthe priorart for, many years, the inertia type of devices have beencomplicated, ex-

pensive and therefore adapted only for-a limited and particu- .25

lar use and application. A noninertia-type of retractable within theretraction device housing.

device in which protraction isprevented during use is shown in US. Pat.No. 3,l74,704, issued Mar; 23,1965, The device described and illustratedin US. Pat. No. 174,704 includes a strap retraction device comprising aframe in which is mounted a reel to which-the strapis' wound and securedfor tion thereof so as to constitute a tensionless strap and in which Ithe stowing 5 clip .is operative to override the retraction protractionand retraction, a-springfor' constantly biasing the reel for retractionof the strap within the retraction device,

and locking means forpreventing further protraction of the strap afterthe strap is initially protracted andflthe'n allowed to v partiallyretract. Thus, in a vehicle. safety res'traintapparatus in which suchretraction device is used, thestrap is protracted fromthe retractiondevice to a lengthsufticient to connect the latching member on the strapto a complementary latching.

member on a secondstrap. When the connected biased strap is released,the strap is drawntightly against the body of the occupant usingtherestraint apparatus. v

Devices of the last-described typeplace a constant tension on the strapor belt'during use and this'tension may be uncomfortable to anoccupantusingthe' restraint apparatus. While the constant tension of the belt onthe occupant is not particularly objectionable where the beltcircurnscribes the'waist of the occupant, i.e., a lap belt, such tensionis highly objectiona when not'in use. h

A Another object of the present invention isto provide a restraintapparatus of the above-described type inwhich the retraction deviceincludes locking means for'preventing both Accordingly, it is a generalobject ofthe present invention I to provide a restraint apparatus inwhich a shoulder strap is effectively mounted at one end to the outer'wall of a vehicle above and to the rear of the shoulder of the occupantto be restrained through a retraction device and whichmay be easily andconveniently stowed in an out-of the-way position proximate the vehicleouter wall, without beingentirely retracted It is another general objectof the present linvention to provide a retraction device in which astrap is biased for retraction about a reel rotatably mountedin a'frameand which in-- cludes not only locking means for preventing f urtherprotrac-v tion of the strap but also locking means for preventingfurther retractionso that all tensionis relieved from the belt after itis connected about the occupant to provide niaximumcornfort consistentwith safety precautions. An object of the present inventionis to providea restraint apparatus including a retraction device which providesspring biased retraction of a shoulder strapiwou'nd about a reel, and astowing clip mounted on the vehicle outerwall so that the free 'end ofthe shoulder strap can be engaged bythe stowing clip to anout-of-the-way position v maintain the shoulder strap in protraction andretraction of the strap after an initial protracpreventing means so thatthe biasedretraction of thestrap restraint apparatus of theabove-described typein which the ble and disconcertingin a restraintapparatus in which one of the straps ispositioned over the chest of the.occupant, i.e., a

shoulder strap. Where a shoulder strap is used, the occupant willwithdraw the retractable portion of. the shoulder strap from the housingand connect it to the cooperating portion of. the other strap. Furtherprotraction is then prevented. However, if the occupant moves backward,or"settlestbac k" in the seat, the tension is relieved on the shoulderstrap and a portion of the strap is retracted within the housing. Thisresults in a closer "fit" of the shoulder or chest strap which furtherrestricts movement of the occupant. Such protraction prevenanotherlength so as ing use. .5

stowing clip is conveniently located on the outer wallof the vehicle sothat the fixed length shoulder strap afterprotraction to the desiredlength can beadjusted'by the. occupant to to accommodate desiredmovementdur- Still one more object of the present invention is toprovide a restraint apparatus of the above-described type for use in avehicle inwhichthere is providedmearis to engage the free end of theshoulder strap in an out-'of-Ithe-way position and retain such strap insuch position bytension and in which the strap can be easilyand'convenientlyjgrasped by an occupant so as to prevent therequirement'of extended retraction and reduce the possibility of injury to anoccupant due to being struck by the free end of the strap duringretraction. I r

tion means will then be actuated so asuto prevent further protraction ofthe reduced length shoulder strap so that the occupant is then precludedfrom moving forward from such settled back position. it will be readilyapparent that such coni dition may be extremely uncomfortable to theoccupant.

Another problemexists in the use of-prior, art retraction devices in arestraint apparatus in which a shoulder strap is constantly biased forretraction. In such type of restraint apparatus,the shoulder strap is ofsubstantial length and thus a spring biasing means must be provided thathas considerable strength so as to provide for full retraction-of thisextended length belt. This creates the not insubstantial danger that ifthe occupant releases th'e free end of theshoulder strap such end willbe rapidly withdrawn into the housing and may strike the occupant in thefacial area causing considerable discomfort if ,not physical injury. Alarge spring isaISO-rcquired undesirably increasing the overalldimensions of the retractor.

' Generally stated, the present inventioncomprises a safety restraintapparatus for use in a vehicle having an outer wall,

including a floor-mounted latching member to which a complementarylatching member on one end of 'a shoulder strap may be engaged so as toposition the strap across the chest of a vehicle occupant, the other endof the strapbeing connected to retracting means whichis-efifectivelymounted on the vehicle outer wall rearwardly and above the shoulder ofthe occupant to be restrained and includes, aframe in which a reel isrotatably mounted and about whichreel the strap is wound and secured forprotraction and retraction, a spring member constantly biasingthe reelfor retraction of the strap, and-- stowing means mounted on the outerwall of the vehicle forengaging the latching member on thefre'e end ofthe shoulder strap and maintaining the shoulder strapin anout-of-the-way 1 position. The invention further contemplates theprovision of a retraction device, as above described, which includes aprovision for preventing further protraction and retraction of a strapwound about the reel after the strap is protracted andv then allowed topartially retract.

Other objects as well as various advantages of the generally describedrestraint apparatusandretraction device of the present invention will beapparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of thefollowing detailed explanation of several exemplary embodiments of arestraint apparatus and one exemplary embodiment of a retraction deviceconstructed in accordance with the present invention and by reference tothe appended sheets of drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevation view of a first exemplary embodiment of arestraint apparatus constructed in accordance with the present inventioninstalled in a conventional vehicle and shown in a stowed condition;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the restraint apparatus of FIG. 1 shownin use by an occupant of the vehicle;

FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of aretractor device in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the retractor device taken along the planeIV-IV of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the retractor device taken along the planeV-V of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of a portion of the retractordevice of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the retractor device of FIG.3;

' FIG. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view of a portion of the retractordevice of FIG. 3 showing the strap retraction and protraction preventingmeans in several positions;

I FIG. 9 is a top plan view of a stowing clip constructed in accordancewith the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a side elevation view of the clip of FIG. 9;

FIG. II is a rear elevation view of the clip of FIG. 9;

FIG. 12 is an elevation view of a second exemplary embodiment of arestraint apparatus constructed in accordance with the present inventionandinstalled in a conventional vehicle shown in the stowed condition;

FIG. 13 is an elevation view of the restraint apparatus of FIG. 12 shownin use by an occupant of the vehicle;

FIG. 14 is a side fragmentary sectional view of a retractor device andoverride means constructed in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 15 is a fragmentary end elevation view of the device of FIGQ14.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a first exemplaryembodiment of a vehicle safety restraint apparatus indicated generallyat 20. The safety restraint apparatus is mounted in a conventionalvehicle having an outer wall 21', including a ceiling and sidewall, adoor 22, windows 23, and a conventional bucket-type seat 24. Theexemplary restraint apparatus 20 is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 for useby the driver occupant of the vehicle. It will be obvious to thosehaving ordinary skill in the art that the restraint apparatus can bemounted for use by an occupant in the other front seat of the vehicle,or in the rear seat or seats.

The first exemplary embodiment of the safety restraint apparatus 20comprises a chest or shoulder strap 25 having connecting means 26secured to the free end thereof, retracting means indicated generally at27, stowing means 28, and complementary floor-mounted latching means 29.

Latching means 26 and 29 in the first embodiment of the safety restraintapparatus 20 will be understood to be only exemplary, as will' be mademore clear from the subsequent description of a second embodiment of asafety restraint apparatus which employs a different type of latchingmeans. In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the latchingmeans 26 secured to the end of the shoulder strap 25 may be of the typeillustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,378,301, issued Apr. 16, 1968. Briefly,such latching means comprises a connector having a hook portion and apivotal latch arm which releasably engages an anchorage or complementaryfloormounted latching means 29. Latching means 29, rather than ananchorage, may comprise a short strap section as in the aforementionedpatent and may include a lap belt also connected thereto as disclosed insuch patent. Alternatively, the safety restraint apparatus may include aconventional lap belt the shoulder strap 25 be used alone, as is wellknown to those skilled in the art.

The other end of the shoulder strap 25 is connected to the retractingmeans 27 which is mounted to the vehicle outer wall 21 at a locationwhich is above and rearwardly of the shoulder of the occupant to berestrained. Thus. when the shoulder strap is connected through latchingmeans 26 to anchorage 29, the shoulder strap 2 5 is positioneddiagonallyacross the chest of the occupant so as to restrain the'upper bodyagainst forward movement in the event of sudden deceleration of thevehicle.

The first exemplary embodiment of a safety restraint apparatus 20 alsoincludes retracting means including a reel rotatably mounted in a framesecured to the vehicle outer wall and on which the shoulder strap iswound while the reel is biased for constant retraction of the shoulderstrap about the reel. A suitable retracting means for use in the presentinvention is described and illustrated in U.S'. Pat. No. 3,174,704issued Mar. 23, 1965. In such retractor device, as explained above,there is a constant retraction bias for the strap connected to thedevice. Retracting means for the present invention may also be of thelinear type disclosed in the aforementioned patent which employssecuring meansfor the safety strap that includes a pawl member inoperative relation to a linear ratchet member. The strap secured to suchretractor devices may be stowed in an out-of-the-way position by theprovision of stowing means mounted to the outer wall at a spacedapart'location from the'retractor device. In this configuration, thestrap is stowed in an out-of-the-way position-by engaging the latchingmeans 26 on the end of theshoulder strap 25 to the stowing means 28.When the shoulder strap is to be used, the occupant reaches up andgrasps the latching means 26 so as to disengage it from the stowing clipand protracting the strap from the retracting means until the latchingmeans 26 may be secured onto the anchorage 29. To stow the shoulderstrap, the operation issimply reversed.

It will therefore be seen that through the provision of a spring biasedretracting means to which ashoulder strap is attached and which ismounted to a vehicle-outer wall at a location which is above andrearward of the occupantsshoulder and through the provision of a spacedapart stowing means also mounted on the vehicle outer wall for engaginglatching means secured on the end of a shoulder strap, several of theabove-mentioned objects of the present invention are attained.Specifically, although the shoulder strap is of considerable length, theentire strap is not wound on the retracting means since a portion of thestrap'is in a protracted condition when the connecting means is securedto the stowing clip.

' Consequently, the spring used in the retracting means need not be of astrength as would be required if the entire strap was wound on the reel.Furthermore, the protracted portion of the strap when in the stowedcondition, i.e., the strap is not being used, is proximate the vehicleouter wall so as not in inhibit the ingress and egress of the occupantinto and out of the vehicle.

The present invention also provides retracting means of theabove-described type which additionally includes locking means forpreventing further retraction of a strap after the strap is protractedand then allowed to partially retract. Such retracting means isparticularly advantageous for use in the above-described first exemplaryembodiment of a safety restraint apparatus 20. Reference will now bemade to FIGS. 3 through 8 for a complete description of retracting means27 for use in the safety restraint apparatus 20.

Retracting means 27 comprises a frame 30 including a base 31 and a pairof upturned opposed sidewalls 32, 33. As best seen in FIG. 7, sidewalls32, 33 are provided with bores 34,35

respectively. Bores 34, 35 receive a reel which includes the arbor 36.Arbor 36 projects outboardly of sidewall 33 and has an offcenter' slot37 in the end thereof. A coil spring 38 is disposed within a cap housing39 secured to the sidewall 33,

arm 74 of stowing clip 28. Since the means for preventing A then forcesthe latching means 26 to pivot the hook-shaped support arm 74 so as todepress contact button 78 making an electrical switch at 77 so as toactivate solenoid 65 which withdraws arm 67 and thereby pawls 60 fromengagement with ratchet wheels 43 allowing the reel to rotate freely.The bias of the coil spring 38 therefore effects immediate retraction ofthe shoulder strap 25 until the strap is taut or in tension between theretracting means 27 and the stowing clip 28. In this condition, theshoulder strap is proximate the vehicle outer wall 21 and completely inan out-of-the-way position, as seen in FIG. 1, allowing free ingress andegress of occupant into the vehicle.

If the occupant wishes to adjust the length of the strap after it is putinto use at a particular length, it is only necessary to move thesupport arm of the stowing means which overrides the means forpreventing protraction and retraction of the strap.

A second embodiment of a safety restraint apparatus 120 is illustratedin FIGS. 12 through 15. The safety restraint apparatus 120 is mounted ina vehicle having an outer wall 121, including a ceiling and sidewall, adoor 122, windows 123, and a conventional seat 124.

The second exemplary embodiment of the safety restraint apparatus 120comprises a chest or shoulder strap 125 having connecting means 126secured to the free end thereof, retracting means indicated generally at127, stowing means 128, and complementary floor-mounted latching means129. In the present embodiment, floor-mounted latching means 129includes a pair of seat belt portions 129a and 12% with suitableconnecting members. One of the seat belts connecting members is providedwith means for receiving and securing complementary latching means 126having an opening for engaging stowing means 128. r

In the second exemplary embodiment of the safety restraint apparatus,retracting means 127 is mounted forwardly of the occupant to berestrained and above the door 123. In this location, the retractingmeans may be entirely concealed since the space between the headlinerand the outer wall of the vehicle is large enough is most vehicles forreceiving the retracting means without any bulge or discontinuity in theheadliner.-

However, the secured end of the shoulder strap 125 is effectivelymounted rearwardly and above the shoulder of the occupant to berestrained through a roller means 130 mounted on vehicle outer wall 121.As seen best in FIG. 13, roller means 130 comprises a frame 131 securedto the vehicle outer wall and a roller 132 rotatably supported in theframe. The shoulder strap 125 extends from the reel of the retractingmeans 127 rearwardly beneath the headliner of the vehicle and around theroller 132. The term-effectively mounted is used herein to refer to anapparatus in which the retracting means is either actually or throughadditional means mounted in spaced relation to the actual retractingmeans, positioned at a particular location on the vehicle outer wall.

The retracting means 127 of the second exemplary embodiment of thesafety restraint apparatus 120 is substantially indentical to theretracting means 27 of the first exemplary embodiment. The retractingmeans 127 includes a frame 130 having a base 131 and sidewalls, one ofwhich is shown at 132. A reel is rotatably mounted in the frame 130 andincludes a ratchet wheel 133 and a locking element 134 including a pawl135 and pivotally mounted on a shaft 136. I

The second exemplary embodiment 120 also comprises means to movethe'locking means to a second position to permit protraction andretraction of the strap which, in the second embodiment. may include a,support arm 140 mounted on sidewall 132 of frame 130 through a pivot pin14'1 including a hook-shaped am 142 extending over and above the reel,and a trip arm 143. Pawl 135 is provided with a trip pin 144 thatextends through a slot 145 in sidewall 132 of the frame 130.

As seen best in FIGS. 12 and 13, the retracting means 127 is mounted ininverted position to outer vehicle wall 121 and above'the door 123 ofthe vehicle. The hool -shaped arm of the override means extends througha suitable opening in the vehicle headliner and projects downwardly andforwardly.

In use and operation, the second exemplary embodiment of a safetyrestraint apparatus is similar to that of the first embodiment 20. Tostow the shoulder strap 125, the connecting means 126 on the end of theshoulder strap is engaged with the hook-shaped arm of the override meansand rearward movement of the arm 128 causes the trip arm 143 to actuatethe trip pin 144 so as to move pawl 135 out of engagement with ratchetwheel 133 thereby allowing the shoulder strap to be retracted until thestrap is in tension between the roller means and the stowing clip 128.

From the above description, it will be apparent that various types oflatching means may be used in conjunction with the present invention.While the stowing clip illustrated in the two described embodimentscomprisesv a hook-shaped element for engaging an opening in the latchingmeans of the shoulder strap, it will be apparent that other types ofstowing clips may be used. For example, where the latching means on theend of the shoulder strap does not have an opening, or where suchopening cannot be provided, but includes some projection, the stowingclip may be provided with an opening for engaging the projection on thelatching means. lt will also be seen that the restraint apparatus of thepresent invention includes a shoulder strap which may be used by itself,such as illustrated with respect to the first embodiment, or inconjunction with lap or seat belts such as illustrated with the secondembodiment. Other configurations employing the present invention will beobvious to those having ordinary skill in the art.

Other modifications and variations of the present invention are possiblein light of the above teaching. it is therefore to be understood thatwithin the scope of the appended claims, the

invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

lclaim: 1. In a strap retraction device for use in a vehicle safetyrestraint apparatus producing no tension on the strap when in use,including a frame, means carried by the frame to which a shoulder strapis secured for protraction and retraction, means constantly urging saidstrap toward retraction, and deactivata ble locking means for preventingprotraction of the strap but allowing retraction thereof, deactivatormeans for rendering inactive the means for preventing protraction of thestrap when the strap is substantially fully retracted and while thestrap is being protracted from said substantially fully retracted state,the deactivator means being rendered inoperative upon subsequent partialretraction of the strap, the provision of:

deactivatable locking means for preventing retraction of said straprendered inactive by said deactivator means when the strap issubstantially fully retracted and while the strap is being protractedfrom said substantially fully retracted state and said deaiztivatormeans being rendered inoperative upon subsequent partial retraction ofthe strap; and p additional means for selectively rendering the lockingmeans inactive. f 2. A spring-biased strap retraction'device for use ina vehicle safety restraint apparatus and producing no tension on thestrap when in use, comprising:

a frame;

a reel rotatably mounted in said frame around which said strap is woundand secured for protraction and retraction; spring means constantlybiasing said reel for retraction of said strap; locking means, means tomove said locking means to one position to prevent protraction andretraction of said strap and means to move said locking means to asecond position to permit protraction and retraction of said strap; andmovable blocking means to prevent movement of said locking means fromsaid second position to said first posione end of the coil springreceived in slot 37 of arbor 36, and the spring being prewound withinhousing 39 to provide a constant rotational bias to arbor 36. A cylinder40 with a throughslot 41 and castellated ends 42 is concentricallydisposed around arbor 36. Ratchet wheels 43 are provided withcircumferentially spaced arcuate slots 44 and central bores 45 press fiton the castellated ends 42 of cylinder 40 so as to fix cylinder 40 inradially spaced relation to arbor 36. One end of arbor 36 is providedwith a flat portion 47 matingly engaging a flat portion 48 in one of theratchet wheels 43 so that the ratchet wheels and cylinder 40 arenonrotationally mounted on arbor 36. Each of the ratchet wheels 43 isprovided with circumferentially spaced arcuately sloped peripheralsectors, such as at 49 (see FIG. 3), so as to define circumferentiallyspaced notches 50.

A circular spacer ring 51 is mounted on one end of the arbor 36 betweenone of the ratchet wheels 43 and sidewall 33 of the frame 30. Disposedbetween the other ratchet wheel 43 and the sidewall 32 is movableblocking means which may comprise a circular spring 52 and a lockingdisc 53 having an outwardly directed tab 54 received within an arcuateslot 55 of sidewall 32 to limit angular movement of disc 53 and aradially outwardly extending pawl engaging element 56.

Longitudinally spaced from the arbor 36 is a locking element 57 mountedon a shaft 58 which carries means to move the locking element 57 to oneposition to prevent protraction and retraction of the strap which, inthe exemplary embodiment, comprises a torsion spring 59; the lockingelement including pawls 60 for engaging the notches 50 in ratchet wheels43, so as to comprise locking means.

The retracting means 27 is also provided with deactivator meansresponsive to a predetermined amount of the strap wound around the reelfor rendering inactive the blocking means for preventing furtherprotraction and retraction of the strap. Such deactivator means isoperative to deactivate the blocking means for preventing retraction andprotraction of the strap when the strap is wound about the reel to apredetermined radius. Upon protraction of the strap (decreasing thewound radius), the deactivator means is rendered inoperative, but willbe operative again when the strap is rewound. In the exemplaryembodiment, such deactivator means comprises the sensor element 61 whichis riveted to one of the pawls 60 on locking element 57 and extendsinwardly toward the reels.

In use, the shoulder strap 25 is secured to the arbor 36 and is woundaround the cylinder 40 comprising the center portion of the reel. Thestrap is therefore in a prewound condition and is constantly biased bythe coil spring 38 for retraction. In this fully wound condition, itwill be seen that the radius of the wound strap causes the strap to bearupon the sensor element 61 so as to rotate the locking element 57counterclockwise, as viewed in FIG. 3, so that the pawl 60 isdeactivated, i.e., will not engage the notches 50 in ratchet wheel 43.With the pawl in this disengaged or second position, protraction of theshoulder strap 25 causes rotation of locking disc 53 through frictionalcontact between the locking disc and the outer surface of the adjoiningratchet wheel 43 due to the bias of spring 52. Tab 54 on locking disc 53limits the angular or arcuate movement of locking disc 53 so that thelocking element 56 on the locking disc is positioned forward and betweenthe pawl 60 and its cooperating ratchet wheel 43 so as to maintain thelocking means in the second position to permit protraction of the strap.As protraction of the shoulder strap continues, the radius of the woundshoulder strap decreases so that eventually sensor element 61 is not incontact with the strap and is rendered inoperative. The pawls will notbe held in disengagement by the sensor element, therefore, and are thusactivated. However, as the radius of the strap decreases allowing thesensor element and the pawls to rotate clockwise, as viewed in FIG. 3,under the force of the means to move the locking means to one positionto prevent protraction and retraction of the strap, namely, torsionspring 59, the locking element 56 on the locking disc will be disposedbetween the pawls and their associated ratchet wheels 43, as seen inFIG. 8. Thus, the

pawls will remain out of engagement and protraction may continuealthough the sensor element is inoperative.

When the desired length of shoulder strap has been protracted, the strapis allowed to partially retract, the movable blocking means is renderedinoperative by causing the reel and the locking disc 53 to rotateclockwise so as to remove the locking element 56 from between the pawlsand their associated ratchet wheels. The pawls will immediately beactive and engage the notches 50 in the ratchet wheels 43 under theinfluence of the means to move the locking element to one position so asto lock the reel against further protraction and retraction.

It will be noted that the notches 50 and the peripheral sectors 49 ofthe ratchet wheels 43 are formed so that there is considerable abuttingengagement between the notch wall and the pawl when the reel isattempted to be rotated in a counterclockwise direction. Thus, highloads on the safety straps during restraint of an occupant upondeceleration of the vehicle which causes protraction of' the shoulderstrap can be withstood by the ratchet wheels without structural failure.On the other hand, only the spring force of coil spring 38 need beresisted to prevent retraction of the shoulder strap about the reel andthus the other notch wall need only be in slight engaging contact withthe pawl 60.

From the foregoing description, it will also be seen that the retractingmeans 27 allows the shoulder strap to be used in a completelytensionless condition since the spring biased reel is prevented againstretraction and all tension from the shoulder strap is relieved.

When the retracting means 27 is used in the first exemplary embodimentof a safety restraint apparatus 20, as above described, there isprovided means to move the locking means to a second position to permitprotraction and retraction of the strap. Such means to move the lockingmeans to a second position may include stowing means for engaging thelatching means of the shoulder strap to maintain the latching means inan out-of-the-way position. In the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 1through 6, the means to move the locking means may comprise anelectrical solenoid mounted on base 31 of frame 30 of retracting means27. Solenoid 65 has electrical leads 66 and an actuating rod 67.Actuating rod 67 is pivotally mounted to a pin 68 mounted on one of thepawls 60 at a spaced apart location from pivot shaft 58 of the pawl.

The stowing means of the first exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2,which is used to support the shoulder strap latching means in anout-of-the-way position, comprises the stowing clip 28 illustrated indetail in FIGS. 9 through 11.

Stowing clip 28 generally comprises base 70, a pair of mounting ears 7],72 and an opening 73. A hook-shaped sup port arm 74 is pivotally mountedon a shaft 75 secured in mounting ears 71, 72. Support arm 74 is biasedin a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 9, by torsion spring76 mounted on shaft 75. An electricalswitch 77 is mounted on base andincludes a reciprocable contact button 78 in operative engagement withthe lower end of support arm 74. Electrical leads 79 of electricswitch77 are connected to the leads 66 of solenoid 65. The stowing clipis mounted to the outer wall 21 of the vehicle, seen in FIG. 2, so thatthe hook-shaped support arm 74 extends forwardly.

In operation, assume that the latching means 26 is supported by stowingclip 28 as seen in FIG. 1. When the occupant desires to use the shoulderstrap 25, he reaches up and grasps the latching means 26 disengaging itfrom the stowing clip and drawing the shoulder strap downwardly so as tobe disposed across his chest. The strap is protracted to a sufficientlength so that the latching means 26 may be engaged with the anchor 29.The occupant then allows the strap 25' to retract slightly, therebyengaging the means for preventing further protraction and retraction ofthe shoulder strap. The shoulder strap is thereby positioned in 'atensionless condition across the chest of the occupant to provideeffective restraint.

To stow the shoulder strap 25, the unlatching means 26 is released fromthe anchor 29 and engaged with the support tion during protraction andto permit movement of said locking means from said second positiontosaid first position upon partial retraction subsequent to saidprotraction.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said means to move said locking meansto permit protract ion and retraction comprises a trip pin mounted onsaid locking means, and a trip arm pivotally mounted on said frame,movement of said trip arm to move said trip pin deactivating saidlocking means release said strap.

4. The safety belt retraction device of claim 2 additionally includingdeactivator means responsive to a'predetermined amount of said strapbeing wound around said reel for rendering inoperative said lockingmeans. l

5. The safety belt retraction device of claim 4 wherein said lockingmeans includes at least one ratchet wheel fixedly mounted on said reel,at least one pawl for engaging said ratchet wheel pivotally mounted onsaid frame and said means to move said locking means to preventprotraction and retraction of said strap comprises, spring means biasingsaid pawl for engagement with said ratchet wheel.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein said ratchet wheel includes notcheshaving opposed, spaced parallel faces and said pawl has opposed, spacedparallel faces which selectively engage said wheel faces to preventprotraction or retraction.

